Who We Are: mbaMission Reviews

I found my experience with mbaMission to be incredibly rewarding and it absolutely helped me to be admitted to my top choice business school. My consultant was always available and her comments and critiques helped build my essays and resume into the best possible version.

Rachel, the consultant I worked with from mbaMission, was instrumental in my successful application to business school. Through conversation and email, I felt that she truly understood the story I had to tell and the reasons why I wanted to go to business school and then she pushed me to write the strongest versions of that story. Rachel was especially helpful at cutting to the core of thoughts and helped me cut paragraphs down to sentences — a vital task when the essay can only be a limited number of words.

I felt like she was my partner in the entire application process and would recommend her to anyone seeking admission to a top tier business school.

Harvard Business School Admit (via GMAT Club)

After chatting with a few other admissions consultants, I was holding out for someone who would be a few things: realistic yet optimistic, firm yet warm, and overall kind. Rachel was all of the above, and from our first call, I knew she would be a true partner in the grueling MBA admissions process.

I felt like I had decent credentials, but I was totally lost when it came to my story. I was all over the place, and Rachel really helped me narrow my focus and pick out which experiences would fit together to form a compelling narrative. In moments where I felt like my experiences weren’t strong, she’d force me to dig deeper and understand how those have actually contributed to my development.

On top of really taking the time to understand me, Rachel always boosted me up when I felt down during the process. She’d help me regain the confidence I needed to convey my strengths and my goals, and she was always on my side. After an interview I thought went poorly, she immediately answered the phone and helped me pick myself back up and move on to the next.

Ultimately, there is simply no one I could recommend more highly than Rachel. I’ve seen in other reviews here that she’s a motherly figure, and I’d absolutely reiterate that. She is the most caring individual and the first person I wanted to call with good news about interviews and then admissions. I was admitted to my first and second choice schools—definitely in large part due to her help. You will not regret working with her!

HBS and Wharton Admit

From the start, I was immediately drawn to selecting Rachel to be my MBA admissions consultant. I was searching for someone who was highly knowledgeable about top-tier schools, who knew how to navigate the application process efficiently, and who possessed strong writing skills. I could not be more thrilled by my decision to work with her. I’ll let the result speak for itself—with Rachel’s guidance, I was admitted to every one of the MBA programs that I applied to, including my dream school, Wharton.

In initially screening for consultants, Rachel stood out because she had 10 years of experience and had helped thousands of candidates receive admittance to top-tier MBA programs. Her impressive track record alone instilled in me complete confidence that she is one of the best in the business. But what was equally important was that Rachel’s previous experience in journalism uniquely positioned her to help me craft and articulate my ideas in a differentiating manner, which proved to be the key to success, given my traditional background as an overrepresented male in finance.

After having worked with Rachel, I appreciated her partnership approach as she was genuinely interested in the results and never settled for anything less than stellar. When I was struggling to overcome a weak spot in my application, Rachel helped me craft a compelling story to help me stand out. While I was balancing a demanding workload as an investment banker and MBA applicant, Rachel’s high involvement throughout the process was invaluable. Finally, I would be remiss not to address her candor. Receiving honest feedback was critical and Rachel provided it in a supportive and encouraging manner.

Hiring Rachel as my MBA admissions consultant was the best decisions that I made. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to get into a top-tier MBA program.

Wharton, CBS, and NYU Stern Admit

Idea generation for the essays was the hardest part of the entire application process. Rachel made it a breeze. She read through my brainstorm document in detail, and really listened to me before distilling my life stories down to a single theme. When I didn’t think I had anything special, Rachel saw the best in me and helped me pick out episodes in my life that really highlighted my strength. Thanks to her heavy lifting at the beginning, I did not feel stressed despite only starting to write the essays one month before the deadlines.

Throughout the process, Rachel was upfront but respectful, persistent but not pushy. During my moments of panic (e.g. after I thought I screwed up my interview) and self doubt, she was the one that stayed focused and helped me get back on track. She was instrumental in helping me get into HBS.

I also liked mbaMission’s systematic approach. After hearing from other friends about the services that they used, I feel like mbaMission’s framework really helped me save a lot of time throughout the process.

I highly recommend Rachel and mbaMission to anyone who considers business school!

HBS Admit (via GMAT Club)

Before Rachel was recommended to me, I had interviewed two other consultants who also came highly regarded. I hadn’t been impressed with either and when I spoke with Rachel I knew instantly it was a fit. I told her my concerns: I needed someone who would respond in a timely manner and who would help me craft my story. Rachel set clear expectations from the get-go about turnaround time and she instilled confidence in me that I had a good story to share.

From a personal standpoint, I didn’t need someone who would help me research schools and programs. I had done that on my own. Rachel is unique given her editorial background and she is a journalist by nature. That is exactly what I needed. I wanted someone who would help me brainstorm ideas for essays and give me editorial help. Rachel surpassed all expectations when it came to that. I always felt she was honest and if she didn’t feel like the story made sense or the essay wasn’t quite there she was very candid. The entire process was collaborative and with Rachel a lot less dauting.

This review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t share a personal anecdote. The GMAT was not something that came easy to me. I wound up having to take it multiple times until I received a score I felt would not hinder me from getting accepted. Just as I was about to give up after my second time Rachel was my personal cheerleader and kept me going. She helped strategize with me regarding the school’s deadline and still taking the 3rd test in time. I can say without hesitation that if Rachel was not my consultant I would have given up on the entire process. I knew I was paying for the editorial help and brainstorming sessions. However, what I received in return was so much more.

I cannot recommend Rachel enough for her creativity, her brilliance in crafting stories, and her ability to serve as a personal coach throughout the entire process in areas one might not expect!! Do not even hesitate when choosing an advisor. I can guarantee you all expectations will be exceeded with Rachel!

Kellogg & CBS Admit (via GMAT Club)

As someone who has used a different consulting firm in the past (and had a much different result) I can tell you a little bit about what makes mbaMission, and Rachel specifically, that much better. First, just to give you a sense of my profile: I work in management consulting for a very small firm, was graduated from a mid-tier undergraduate university with a 2.9 GPA, have 5 years of work experience, and a 740 GMAT.

I decided to work with mbaMission at the recommendation of a friend and couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. Rachel was an incredible asset throughout. She was able to help me compartmentalize the overwhelmingly large process into small manageable chunks and tackle each one effectively. From crafting my ‘story’ all the way through interviewing, she was there to provide great advice and guidance. I can say with near certainty that I would not have been accepted a top 5 school without her help!

The biggest thing that sets Rachel apart is her candor. It’s nice (and feels good) to have someone tell you how great you are, how perfect your essays are, and how big of a ‘shoe-in’ you are for whatever your top school is; but, that doesn’t get you that coveted acceptance letter. In retrospect, my previous consultant did a pretty poor job of managing my expectations (and helping me craft my application). This was definitely not the case with Rachel – she was blunt (but tactful and friendly) in telling me where I was weak and where I was strong all throughout the process. While it may have been a blow to my ego to hear that my essays weren’t perfect as written the first time (or the 10th), it is that kind of honesty that is really necessary to put together the best possible application and maximize the chances of acceptance. She was integral in helping me shape my story into one that would stand out amidst the pile of other applications and in a way that grabbed the reader’s attention quickly. She was particularly great at identifying elements of my profile, and my story, that I had completely overlooked but that the ad-com would love.

She was also a tremendous help with interview prep. A lot of people (and I was one of them) think that you can enter your interview without much preparation and just ‘wing it’ – Rachel was quick to change my thought process when, after doing rather poorly on our mock interview, she told me bluntly ‘you’re not going to get accepted unless you improve your answers to these questions.’ And then she proceeded to tell me exactly how I should improve. Her suggestions proved to be vital as I encountered many of the same questions she asked in the actual interview!

So, would I recommend her? Yes! A thousand times yes! Sure, working with a consultant is expensive; but, it is nothing when you consider the increase in your earnings potential for the rest of your life should you get accepted to a top school. The process is more complicated and potentially overwhelming than most people realize. A great consultant can really help you put your best foot forward and Rachel is certainly that. Work with her. You won’t regret it.

UT Austin Admit (via GMAT Club)

I found Rachel Beck to be highly creative, responsive, eloquent, supportive and most importantly honest during my few months working with her on my applications. I recommend her to anyone applying to business school, especially those applying to top programs.

For context, I have a somewhat traditional finance background, IB and Corp Dev, and am a white male so differentiating myself was going to be key for creating a successful application. Other stats: >730 GMAT and >3.7 GPA from a state school.

When I started the application process I interviewed three consultants from three different companies. Rachel stood out because she conveyed solid ideas off the bat and understood & summarized my background very well. Her experience as a Columbia MBA, MBA consultant and business writer shined through.

I tend to be organized and process driven and treated my applications as such. Rachel set expectations around our process - essay turn around, organizing calls and email response - and kept to her word. She executed drafts consistently; I would often wake up with new drafts in my inbox sent at 530AM EST whenever there was a draft to be processed. I found this particularly helpful because I work long hours and did much of my edits at night.

Not only did Rachel do a great job with execution, but she also offered unique insights and strategies into my essays and short answers. I organized many calls to discuss her thoughts and ideas for essays knowing that she would almost always go back to my brainstorming documents to approach my background with a variety of perspectives. I appreciated that extra leg work. Additionally, she wasn’t afraid to use the mbaMission brain trust and experience from other consultants often sighting their input when communicating her ideas or confirming mine.

Rachel did very well with interview prep. Having herself interviewed for CBS, she knows how to frame the conversation as an interviewer would, simulating the experience well. She offered excellent framework for responding to certain tough questions and pointed out areas of weakness.

Finally, I would be remiss not to address her supportiveness throughout. Rachel’s calm demeanor and practical approach kept me cool when I received interviews and as deadlines approached. You’d be surprised how important this is.

Again, I 100% recommend Rachel Beck as a consultant to anyone interested in applying to business school – I know I wouldn’t have gotten into Wharton without her help. She is clearly top tier.

Wharton Admit (via GMAT Club)

I highly recommend working with Rachel Beck at mbaMission; this was the BEST decision I made during the admission process.

Rachel is innovative, dependable, organized, genuinely caring and always on time. From the start, she helped me to break down the intimidating application process and create realistic deadlines for myself. mbaMission’s comprehensive approach, to attack each school’s application with an initial brainstorm and then work on iterations of each essay was crucial for keeping me organized while applying to 7 schools. Rachel was always able to provide an answer to any question or review an essay within 2 business days—she is super organized.

By taking the time to get to know me and learn about my experiences, Rachel was able to help me think of new angles to essay topics. She always had a new idea of how to spice up or reframe a story.

Whenever I hit a roadblock—whether I was stuck on an essay topic or worried about video interviews—Rachel would take the time to talk me through the issue and find a solution. If ever Rachel did not have specific information about an application off the top of her head, she would be sure to follow up with her team to best answer my questions.

Not only does Rachel have inventive ideas about approaching applications, she provides great moral support through this trying time and helped me to keep a positive attitude.

I’ve been accepted to 4 of the 6 business schools to which I applied and also received scholarships from 3! Working with Rachel Beck was a great return on investment and true pleasure!! I appreciate all of your hard work!

Kellogg, Columbia Business School, Yale SOM and NYU Stern Admit (via GMAT Club)

I recently worked with Rachel on a 3 school package for Round 1 in the Fall of 2017. I would strongly recommend using Rachel for any candidate considering using an admissions consultant to guide you through the process.

Rachel made what is an extremely stressful and hectic process feel very seamless. From our first brainstorm call through submission of the applications, she helps you stay on top of all of your tasks, which can pile up as the process unfolds, while also making sure you are putting on the best impression for admission committees. For me, Rachel's guidance on the application essays was most critical. Where my essay's ended versus where they would have been had I had not worked with Rachel is truly night and day.

Now, candidates who plan to use a consultant should be aware that you still need to come prepared to work, and work hard. Rachel and other consultants can guide, navigate and keep you organized and on task, but you need to do the work.

I ended up getting into my top choice program and will be enrolling in the Fall of 2018. Surely, Rachel's help was a huge factor for my being admitted to my dream program.

Wharton Admit (via GMAT Club)

Personal background: International applicant, Female, BB IBD, liberal undergrad, low GMAT(720, which is a weakness compared to the Asian pool), Re-applicant (first tried in R2’2017 but failed), Accomplished a few work and non-work initiatives between R2’2017 to R1’2018 and also got a stronger endorsement from current / previous supervisors

School package - worked on 3 schools (Booth-reapplicant; Wharton-reapplicant; Columbia-Early decision) with Rachel.

Rachel is very helpful and patient in helping me go through the application process in 2017. After the “disaster” in the R2’2017, Rachel helped me regain the self-confidence and reshape a better appearance before the AdCom.

Just like what I’ve done in investment banking, there are a few investment highlights that you should choose Rachel as your admission consultant.

• Efficient and effective working pattern: Rachel is very punctual on turnaround time, which is less than 24 hours. She always uses efficient tools to track our back-and-forth edits and comments; also she is very helpful in addressing any application-related issues and ideas that came into my mind.
• Professional writing as an ex-reporter: As an intl. applicant whose mother tongue is not English, I was worried about my writing. Rachel helped me a lot on this part - she would help rephrase my ideas into a more succinct and native way.
• Great communicator in brainstorming session: Rachel is very proactive in expressing her ideas and comments which she concluded from my prior experiences. I have to admit that applicants sometimes would neglect those shining points which are very valuable from an Adcom’s perspective. Rachel is very helpful in giving me guidance to “plunge deeper” into myself.

After initial setback / ding from Columbia Early Decision, Rachel assured me to remain confident and carry out the plan. I feel grateful that our joint efforts finally won me the ticket to four bschools - Kellogg, Berkeley Haas, INSEAD, and Darden. I have decided to go to Kellogg!

Kellogg, INSEAD, Darden, Haas Admit (via GMAT Club)

Navigating the MBA application process is quite daunting, it can be even more nerve-racking when you are short of time, have a busy life style, and have targeted only top business schools. It was exactly my case when I decided to work with mbaMission. I started the application process without GMAT and recommenders. I didn’t even narrow down my school choices.

I had couple of free consultation sessions, and with no doubt, Rachel Beck stood out immediately. Rachel was a terrific help throughout my application process, and in my opinion she is not only a great consultant, but also an incredible mentor. What I loved about Rachel was her creative mind, her enthusiasm to know my personality, and her true passion about my success. Rachel has a powerful writing skill, and truly engages with your story.

I worked with Rachel Beck on a two-school package (Wharton and CBS) and I have been admitted to both schools. Rachel has a great insight into b-schools and helped me from school selection process to the interview preparation.

She took time to analyze my educational and professional background, understood my stories and emphasized those stories that clearly illustrated my strength. That was impressive to see how she linked each pieces of my application together and produce a well-written application, perfectly describing my achievements and my vision for future.

The MBA consultancy is not just about writing flawless essays, it is really about helping you to learn about yourself and to build your professional brand that will stay with you for years to come. Rachel is simply the BEST at building your professional brand.

I owe her a big THANK YOU for her guidance getting me here. I wouldn't be able to make it without her.

Wharton and Columbia EMBA Admit (via GMAT Club)

I worked with Rachel Beck on my business school applications this fall, and I was accepted to all 3 of the schools that I worked on with her (all 3 are top 10 programs, 2 are top 5).

Rachel was instrumental in helping me find and tell my story. Having somewhat of a traditional business school applicant background, Rachel helped me identify my unique qualities and experiences, and worked with me to craft a story that was engaging and distinct. On top of that, Rachel was also a pleasure to work with — responsive, constructive and encouraging. She was a great sounding board throughout the process as I often bounced ideas off of her to get constructive and thoughtful feedback.

I signed up for the complete package and this was the best choice for me. By going this route, I did not feel rushed during any of our conversations and could set up phone calls as frequently as needed. This allowed me to really dive into brainstorming conversations to develop my story. I also liked that working with a consultant provided structure to the process and helped me stick to timelines, so I never felt pinched for time.

The end result of the business school application process was overwhelmingly positive for me. I have a handful of amazing programs to choose from (and many come with scholarships which may point to a potential ROI from working with a consultant).

I highly recommend working with a consultant as it provided structure and enabled me to find my story, and I would recommend Rachel to everyone. I can not imagine going through the application process any other way.

Wharton and Kellogg Admit (via GMAT Club)